With US officials hyping the historic Israel-UAE peace deal, experts say it could easily lead to a surge in US arms sales to the UAE, as it will open up more willingness to sign off on such deals.
Which isn’t to say that the US doesn’t already sell a substantial amount of arms to the UAE as it is. Congress questions such moves, however, and has even tried to block them on some occasions over Yemen war crimes.
And while that’s never been an obstacle for the administration, Congress may find the environment has changed, especially if Israel is suddenly inclined to go to bat for them in lobbying efforts, something Trump will likely emphasize.
The most controversial arms sales are usually the priciest, and the UAE is often in line to buy the newest, most expensive US arms. Being buddy buddy with Israel has been shown by nations like Egypt to work in the past, and may well help with deals here.
US sells vast amount of weapons to SA, a more brutal regime than UAE. how does this change anything?
CIA and Mossad can launch operations out of UAE and its coastal waters in the Straits of Hormuz against the Iranian Regime with impunity and claim defensive motivations.
BINGO!!!
Double Bingo! Weapons for SA. Weapons for UAE. Weapons for Israel. Weapons for everyone!!!
Can we dispose of the logic that Congress makes decisions on arms sales based on some humanitarian concerns. They were mad at UAE as it failed to provide counterbalance to Saudi Arabia in Yemen south. Failed or cut deal — who knows.
Bottom line is —UAE is not economically viable without connections to Western financial systems. Its oil reserves are nearly depleted. All they have is a heaven for big money to conduct their Asian operations being completely safe from governmental intrusion. But this is a time high rollers are not spending.
But at this time — they are highly vulnerable. Their flagship airline in trouble. Their finances in trouble — UAE had to agree to any conditions. And getting Israel into Straits of Hormuz, with no territorial waters separating UAE and Iran’s territorial waters, is a temptation. Weapons sales? Seriously, and what are UAE armed forces? Sure, UAE has to pay up, whether they need arms or not.
The key is — Netanyahu needs foreign “success”, so does Trump. And UAE is being stepped on at the time its finances are in danger. Three desperate players, but the match is too close to the fuse.
Netanyahu or Trump will not get any votes or supports for pulling this stunt…!
Read Jonathan cook’s recent article. Unfortunately they will.
Pretty soon the only jobs left in the US will be making weapons so that people in other countries can kill each other.
What goes around comes around…! Israel strikes Syria almost weekly to get rid of alleged Iranian arms and soldiers…Now Iran has a chance to strike UAE for the presence of Israeli weapons and troops…! And they don’t even need any fighter jets…!
What could be more important than more arms sales to the already over-supplied?